Sawmill head block adjusting device



Nov. 18, 1 947.

w. T. FRAZIER SAW MILL HEAD BLOCK ADJUSTI NG DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 28, 1945 FIG 3.

FIG 4' ATTCI RN EYS Patented Nov. 18, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAWMILL HEAD BLOCK ADJUSTING DEVICE William T. Frazier, Kinston, N. 0.

Application March 28, 1945, Serial No. 585,221

My present invention, in its broad aspect, has reference to improvements in means for adjusting saw mill head blocks so that a log having a greater diameter at one end than the other may be properly supported on the frame. According to present practice, a log is mounted on a saw mill carriage which consists of a frame supported on trucks. The frame carries slidable head blocks having knees engaging the surface of the log. Since logs are almost always of greater diameter at one end than the other, the blocks must be moved with respect to the frame to adjust them and the knees against the log to properly support the log.

My present invention has reference in its more specific aspects to a simple and effective device for relatively adjusting the head blocks with respect to the log by a single attendant whether the log be tapered or straight, and to that end, I provide a shaft on which three spaced gears are keyed, such gears being the drive gears for the center head block and two end head blocks in a three block carriage. The center gear has ordinary transverse teeth and the teeth of the end gears are angled in a reverse direction so that the end head blocks are moved with relation to each other and the center head block to conform to straight logs and logs of tapered conformation. An ordinary manual gear and dog feed and operating handle is provided, and a single lever with a yoke is pivoted to move the shaft longitudinally to actuate the two end gears and blocks to adjust the same to variations in diameter and shape of the particular log acted upon.

Other and equally important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, but it is to be understood that changes in form, size, shape, construction and arrangement of parts is permissible provided same fall within the. purview of my broad inventive concept and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated a preferred form of my invention:

Figure 1 is a sectional view on line l-l of Figure 2 of a saw mill carriage assembly in which my invention is incorporated.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

In the drawings wherein like characters of ref- 4 Claims. (01. 143-114) erence are used to designate like or similar parts throughout the several views:

The numeral I designates a saw mill carriage having a frame 2 and trucks 3 mounted on tracks 4. The frame has side stringers 5 and cross pieces 6. See Fig. 5. Mounted transversely of the frame are three head block assemblies 1., 8 and 9. The log (not shown) is disposed longitudinally of the frame on the three head blocks and since logs differ in diameter and in amount and type of taper, it is desirable to adjust the end blocks with reference to the center head block and with reference to each other to compensate for the taper of the log.

To that end, I provide a base piece ID for each head block which is attached to the frame as at H. Each base is rectilinear in cross section and hollow and has a bottom wall l2, side walls l3 and a slotted top wall [4. Knees l 5 have slotted bases [6 into which the sections of the top wall slidably engage so that the knees may be moved across the bases. The base of each knee is formed with teeth IT. The teeth of the center knee I5 of center head block 8 has ordinary transverse teeth; the knees [5 of the end head blocks have angled teeth and the teeth of the knee of head block 1 are angled in the opposite direction from the teeth of the knee on block 9. Extending longitudinally of the frame and through the head blocks adjacent one end is a shaft l8 which is both rotatably and slidably mounted. On one of the side stringers of the frame adjacent the shaft I8 is a bifurcated bracket 19 having spaced arms 20 through which the shaft extends. A pinion 2| is keyed to the shaft as at 22, and the shaft is slidable with respect to the pinion. Pivoted to the shaft between the arms 20 is-the bifurcated end 23 of a hand lever 24. Between the arms 01; the bifurcated end 23 is a cross piece 25 in which is slidably mounted a dog 26 on the end of rod 21 carrying a collar 28 and a spring 29 for normally holding the dog out of engagement with the pinion 2|. A cap 30 is mounted on the end of the rod which is slidable in the hand lever 24. By these means, the shaft may be manually rotated simply by engaging the dog with the pinion and operating the hand lever.

Keyed to the shaft in such a manner that the shaft is fixed thereto are gears 3|, 32 and 33. Gear 32 meshes with the teeth on the base of the knee of the center head block 8, and the teeth of gears 3| and 33 have opposite angularity to mesh with the teeth of the knees on the two end head blocks 1 and 9. Gears 3|, 32 and 33 are within the base pieces [6.

Attached as at 34 to the center head block base I is an arcuate rack 35. Pivoted as at 36 to the side stringer below the rack 35 is a hand lever 3'1 having an oval-like yoke 38 between its ends to the side bars 39 to which is pinned as at 40 a collar M engaging the shaft, Adog 42 on an operating rod 43 is carried bythe hand lever 31 to engage in the teeth of the rack 35 and movement of the hand lever from right to left or vice versa slides the shaft and gears 3|, 32 and 33 to dispose the same to independently adjust the knees of the end headblocks land 9 with.

reference to each other and to the, center head block, thereby to accommodate logs having different tapers, see dot-and-dash line A of Figure 2.v

From the foregoing, it is believed that the operation and advantages of my invention will 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the pivoted lever is fulcrumed to the frame stringer at its lower end and has an elongated oval-like yoke member formed above the fulcrum to the side rails of which is pivoted the collar on the shaft.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein both levers have dogs carried by operating rods, and the dog of one lever engages an-arcuate rack to hold .thelever in a predetermine d, position, and the dog of the other lever engages a pinion keyed to the shaft to turn the shaft.

4. An adjusting device for head blocks and kneesin. a .saw=mill :carriage device having a frame, having. side and cross stringers, each cross stringer comprising a base member having a be apparent, but it is again emphasized that interpretation of the scopeof my invention should only be conclusive when made. in .thexlight of the subjoined claims.v

I claim:

1. An, adjusting device for. head blocks and knees in .a saw mill. carriage. device having a frame having sideand cross stringers, each cross stringer comprising a base, member havingv a slotted top, wall forming. a track to. slidably receive end and center knees, the. end knees having.v bases formed withoppositely angledteeth, the.

center knee havinga base withtransverse teeth, three gears cut with teeth to mesh respectively with the teeth of the corresponding knees, a shaft carrying the gears and slidablein theblocks longitudinally of the carriage, a hand lever with. a dog, a pinionon the shafttobe engaged by.

the dog to rotate the shaft, a lever .pivotedto one of the side stringers of the frame,a collar on, the shaft, and the lever having a yoke pivotally enand gears.

gaging the collarand fulcrumed to slide the shaft.

slotted top wall forming a track to slidably receive a knee, the center knee having a base with transverse teeth, the end knees having bases formed with oppositely angled-teeth to be moved with respect to eachother and the-center; knee to accommodate tapering logs, three gears cut with teeth to. mesh respectively withthe teeth of the corresponding knees, a shaft to which said gears are fixedly connected, 1 meansfor rotating theshaft,.and meansfor sliding the shaft.-

WILLIAM T; FRAZIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following, references are. of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED, STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 259,102 Crush June 6, 1882. 1,036,986 Farrell Aug. 27, 1912 163,473 Glue May 18, 1875 365,5178 Kingsland June 28, 188'?v Re. 2,924 Stanton May 5, 1868 779,454 Williar Jan. 10, 1905 1,521,776 Loken Jan. 6, 1925 

